QA Test Lead - Leader in Transitioning To Clean Energy

Quality Assurance Test Lead (Enterprise Applications)

We are seeking a seasoned Quality Assurance Test Lead to drive testing strategy and execution for large-scale enterprise initiatives within a highly regulated, operationally critical environment. This role is built for someone who can balance big-picture leadership with hands-on delivery, shaping quality across complex programs while also rolling up their sleeves when needed.

You will partner closely with project managers, business leaders, developers, and testing teams across both Agile and Waterfall delivery models. The ideal candidate brings deep QA expertise, confidence leading cross-functional teams, and strong command of modern test management and automation practices.

What You’ll Own

• Lead end-to-end QA efforts for applications within a defined functional domain, such as customer-facing systems, corporate platforms, operational applications, or technology-specific programs.
• Act as the QA point person for large programs, ensuring testing activities align to project governance standards and quality expectations.
• Guide both manual and automated testing efforts across multiple releases, phases, and environments.
• Serve as the escalation path for testing risks, blockers, defects, and delivery issues.
  
  

Key Responsibilities

Test Strategy, Planning, and Governance

• Facilitate and coordinate the creation of test strategies, test approaches, and test plans across functional and technical teams.
• Define testing scope for each release, including the phases, cycles, and environments required for full coverage.
• Ensure test execution follows defined QA standards, templates, and project methodology requirements.
• Maintain entrance and exit criteria for each testing cycle, tracking progress and readiness with program leadership.
• Identify staffing needs for testing phases, and organize resources effectively across multiple workstreams.
  
  

Test Design and Traceability

• Work with business stakeholders to understand end-to-end processes and translate them into meaningful test scenarios.
• Develop, refine, and review test scenarios, test scripts, and test cases for accuracy, completeness, and reusability.
• Ensure strong traceability between requirements and test coverage using standard requirements and test management tools.
• Identify and plan for test data needs across all levels of testing.
• Build and maintain a library of reusable scripts to accelerate future testing cycles.
  
  

Execution Leadership and Team Enablement

• Run daily standups with QA teams during active testing cycles to remove blockers and keep delivery on track.
• Create and maintain a daily execution plan for all testing phases.
• Train and support testers on execution processes, defect logging, and tool usage.
• Coach and mentor junior QA team members, strengthening consistency and skill across the team.
  
  

Defect Management and Quality Metrics

• Own defect standards, including severity and priority definitions, and ensure consistent application across teams.
• Lead daily defect triage sessions and collaborate with technical teams to drive timely resolution.
• Track defect aging against SLA expectations, publishing daily reporting and following up on overdue items.
• Deliver program-level QA metrics and reporting, including daily dashboards and weekly status updates.
• Monitor quality KPIs to meet or exceed PMO expectations for testing performance and compliance.
  
  

Risk Management, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement

• Identify testing risks early, document mitigation plans, and drive resolution with program leadership.
• Run audit and compliance checks to ensure testing artifacts meet governance requirements.
• Partner with deployment and release teams to confirm readiness before software is accepted into test environments.
• Continuously evaluate QA processes, recommend improvements, and implement changes with stakeholder buy-in.
• Coordinate with change management and training partners on testing impacts and readiness activities.
  
  

Tools and Technical Environment

• Test Management: Tricentis qTest
• Work Tracking: Jira
• Automation (preferred): Tricentis Tosca, Jenkins, Gherkin
• API Testing (preferred): Postman
• Performance Testing (preferred): OpenText LoadRunner (LRE) / Performance Center
• Data Validation (preferred): SQL
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 to 7 years of professional experience in quality assurance, testing leadership, or enterprise QA delivery.
• Proven success leading testing workstreams across complex programs, including both strategic planning and tactical execution.
• Strong working knowledge of QA best practices across the full SDLC, including requirements, test design, execution, and release readiness.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise testing tools, especially Tricentis qTest and Jira.
• Experience working effectively with distributed teams across time zones and organizational boundaries.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, prioritize quickly, and keep teams aligned in fast-moving environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical QA concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• A demonstrated track record of driving change and improving processes in large, cross-functional organizations.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with test automation frameworks and practices such as TDD, ATDD, and continuous integration testing.
• Exposure to multiple testing approaches including black-box, white-box, and experience-based testing.
• Experience with performance testing tools such as LoadRunner Enterprise / Performance Center.
• Hands-on automation experience with Tosca, Gherkin-based test design, and Jenkins pipelines.
• Experience validating data and workflows using SQL.
  
  

Who Thrives in This Role

• You take pride in building order out of complexity and bringing structure to fast-moving programs.
• You can lead confidently, but you are equally comfortable executing detailed work when the situation calls for it.
• You naturally drive consistency, accountability, and transparency across teams.
• You are energized by improving processes, introducing better practices, and helping others level up.
• You understand that quality is not a phase, it is a mindset that must be embedded throughout delivery.
  
  

If you are a QA leader who enjoys shaping strategy, mentoring teams, and delivering measurable quality outcomes across enterprise programs, we would love to connect.

About WIT Recruiting

WIT Recruiting provides services for contract staffing, permanent placement, dedicated recruitment (RPO), and customized recruiting events.

Empowering Teams, Elevating Talent

WIT Recruiting is a Women Impact Tech vertical dedicated to building high-performing teams across all industries and talent pools. As the recruiting arm of WIT, we leverage our proven expertise in recruiting to deliver exceptional talent solutions (without the limits of traditional pipelines).

#WITRecruiting